BAGHDAD: The Iraqi journalist who shot to prominence in 2008 by throwing his shoes at then US president George W. Bush is running for a seat in parliament at the elections scheduled to be held on 12th of this month. 

Muntazer al-Zaidi, 39, said: “My ambition is to throw all the thieving politicians in prison, make them regret what they have done and confiscate their wealth.”

While he narrowly missed hitting the man responsible for launching the invasion of Iraq, Zaidi was later jailed for assaulting a head of state and ended up serving nine months behind bars.

After his release Zaidi sought refuge in Lebanon, where he settled and had a daughter. The protest against Bush saw him hailed as a hero by many around the Arab world, and he remains unrepentant as he pushes for office.